Journal article
Human behavior and sustainability
Frontiers in ecology and the environment, v 10(3), pp 153-160
01 Apr 2012
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Sustainability demands changes in human behavior. To this end, priority areas include reforming formal institutions, strengthening the institutions of civil society, improving citizen engagement, curbing consumption and population growth, addressing social justice issues, and reflecting on value and belief systems. We review existing knowledge across these areas and conclude that the global sustainability deficit is not primarily the result of a lack of academic knowledge. Rather, unsustainable behaviors result from a vicious cycle, where traditional market and state institutions reinforce disincentives for more sustainable behaviors while, at the same time, the institutions of civil society lack momentum to effectively promote fundamental reforms of those institutions. Achieving more sustainable behaviors requires this cycle to be broken. We call on readers to contribute to social change through involvement in initiatives like the Ecological Society of America's Earth Stewardship Initiative or the nascent Millennium Alliance for Humanity & the Biosphere.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Human behavior and sustainability
- Creators
- Joern Fischer - Leuphana University of LüneburgRobert Dyball - Australian National UniversityIoan Fazey - University of St AndrewsCatherine Gross - Australian National UniversityStephen Dovers - Australian National UniversityPaul R. Ehrlich - Center for Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CARobert J. Brulle - Drexel UniversityCarleton Christensen - Australian National UniversityRichard J. Borden - College of the Atlantic
- Publication Details
- Frontiers in ecology and the environment, v 10(3), pp 153-160
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 8
- Grant note
- Alexander von Humboldt Foundation German Federal Ministry for Education and Research; Federal Ministry of Education & Research (BMBF)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- [Retired Faculty]
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000302441000020
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84859357593
- Other Identifier
- 991019167842404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Ecology
- Environmental Sciences